In a prior application, Ser. No. 09/577,638, filed by the applicant on May 24, 2000, and entitled Carbon-Carbon Composite as an Anode for Secondary Non-Aqueous Electrochemical Cells, which is assigned to the assignee of this application, and incorporated herein by reference, applicant has demonstrated that the use of carbon-carbon composite as the anode of a lithium-ion electrochemical cell improves various characteristics of such a cell, in relation to a cell using carbon or graphite as the active material of an anode for the cell. A carbon-carbon composite electrode is fundamentally different from carbon or graphite electrode in several important respects (e. g., carbon-carbon composite is made from carbon fibers attached to each other with carbon matrix whereas a traditional carbon or graphite anode is typically made of carbon/graphite powder with polymeric binder. In addition, no metal substrate support is required for carbon-carbon composite electrode but metal substrate support is required for carbon/graphite electrode).
The carbon-carbon composite disclosed in application Ser. No. 09/577,638 (and which provides the disclosed advantages over an anode with carbon/graphite as an anode active material), is formed without a binder. However, as described below in connection with the present invention, the mechanical properties of a carbon-carbon (C—C) composite electrode can further be improved which will provide ease of handling during cell manufacturing process. This improvement in mechanical properties may also improve further the cycle life of lithium-ion cells made with the C—C composite anode.